Clothespin



United States Patent .This invention relates to improvements in clothespins and, more specifically, to a clothespin of the resilient wire type.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a clothespin which will .provide for positive retention of a fabric article on a line in such a manner as not to damage the fabric, which will exhibit characteristics of simplicity, durability and long life, and which may be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

The drawing shows preferred embodiments of the invention and such embodiments will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the constructions disclosed, and that the drawing and descriptionare not to be construed as defining or limiting thescope of the .invention, the claims forming a part of thisspecification being relied upon for that purpose. I

In this connection it Wlll be noted that the drawing shows and the description is directed at a clothespin constructionwherein a configuration commonly referred to as a coil is utilized. within the scope .of the invention to utilize any of a variety of types of open loops in the place of the said It is to be understood that it is ing the two portions of ,wire intermediate the minor coil coils,..an openloop beingdefin'ed as aterm which in'-;-

cludes'as Well as a coil any configuration wherein a wire is.bent,:back upon itself in spaced relation with itself whetherfor not a complete'convolution is formed.

Of thedrawing, Y H. I

' Fig. 1 is.a side elevation of a clothespin embodying the invention; v I I Fig. 2 is a-front elevation, of the same; Y

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improved clothespinv prior to engagement with the fabric article and the customary line;

- Fig. 4 isa fragmentary illustration of an alternative construction of the invention wherein small rollers are inserted withinthe minor coils of the clothespin and;

Fig. ,5 isla perspective view illustrating the practical application of the improved clothespin and showing-the alternative structure ofFig. 4.

R.6, 6rr.ing particularly to the drawing, the clothespin 8 of this invention comprises a single strand of resilient wire, preferably of a non-corrosive material or plated with such a material, which is formed to provide a major coil 10, a plurality of arms 18, 20 and 22 extending from the said major coil 10, and additional minor coils 12, 14. and 16 disposed at the free ends of the said arms 18, 20 and 22. 7 i The central or inner arm 20 of the clothespin 8 may be formed by. reversing a central portion of a resilient Wi1C:l80 upomitself such that the two portions of the wire extendin'gfr'oin the doubled back portion are adjacent one another. A fabric retaining member taking the form of the minor coil 14 may then be provided by turning the doubled back end of the wire arm 20 back upon itself in spaced relation with itself and in circular form as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

The major or hinge coil 10 may be formed by turn- 14 and the free ends of the wire in a rotationaldirection opposite that utilized in forming the coil;1 -4. The free ,ends of the wire "may then be extended generally tangentially from the major coil 10 so as to comprise the arms 18 and 22 and the free ends of. thearms 18 and 22 may then be provided with fabric retaining members by forming the minor coils 12 and 16 respectively.

The -arms"18 and22 are extended fromthe major coil 10 on that side of the coil opposite the arm 20 and the minor coils 12 and 16 are generally tangentialto the their respective inner-faces such that the arms 18, 20 and are in crossed over relation, with the coils 12 and 16 facing the coil 14 when the clothespindsviewed fromthe end of the coils as in Fig.1. r

While in the preferred embodiment ofthe invention; shown, any suitable number of wire surfaces may comprise the fabric-contacting surfaces of the minor coils 12,-

14 and 16, a minimum of approximately two strands of ,4 inch diameter wire forming approximately one-half inch-diameter minor coils is preferred in order that deli-' cate fabrics contacted and retained may thereby not be damaged. It is, of course, desirable to limit the number of turns in each coil in order to preserve thesimplicity of the device so that it may be easily and inexpensively manufactured. V

An important feature of this invention, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, is that a slight peripheral overlap, as best illustrated ,by Fig. '1 of the point, 13, be provided between the inner coil 14 and theouter coils 12 and 16. This may be provided for by-a proper selec= 'tion of the sizes of; the major and minor coils, the length of the arms 18, 20 and 22 and the circumferential point.

atwhich the arms 18, 20 and 22 I are tangentially extended from the majorcoil 10.v i

The jalternative construction .of the invention illustrat- "ed by .Fig. 4 incorporates the small rollers 24, 26 and 28 which are preferablyofa wooden'or plastic material and which serveto present additional, smooth, fabriccontacting surfaces. This construction is believed to be most desirablein' cases where the fabric to besecured is of adelicate nature. i a 1 i The formation of the .major coil 10, the arms 18, 20 and 22, and;the coils 12, 14 and 16 is in all essential respects-identical with that described above in 'the ease of the basic configuration. Sufficient lateral clear-v ance between the minor coils 12, 14 and 16 for place ment of the rollers 24, 26 and 28 may be assured by :the',

formation of an appropriate number of turns in the major coil 10 and the minor coils 12 and 16 and a udiclous selection ofthe roller length. The slight peripheral overlap of the-coils 12, 14 and 16, described above, may be accomplished in this alternative construction in the same manner as before. r

The rollers 24, 26, and 23 may be located within their respective coils 12, 14' and 16' by inserting them, after formation of the coils, with a slight force suflicient to overcome the retractile action of theresilient wirecomprising the coils 12, 14 and 16 or, in the alternative, the

coils 12, 14 and 16 may be formed about the rollers 24,-.

26 and 28. In either event, it is felt that the number of turns in the minor coils 12 and 16 may be reduced to the minimum required to positively retain the rollers 24 and 28 therewithin, the principal fabric-contacting surface in this alternative construction being provided by'the 2,928,152: Patented Mar. 15, 1 960 3 necessity constitute t-wowidths oi wire in both the basic and the alternative construction.

It is to be understood that while but one alternative construction is herein-illustrated and described in detail,

the inventive concept includes further variations wherein, for example, a small roller isdi'sposed within a central coil 14 while the end cons 12- and 16 are constructedin accordance'with the configuration of Figs. 1, 2 and 3- and, conversely, the construction wherein the end coils 12 and 1-6 carry rollers while the central coil- 14. does not.

To secure the clothespin 8 in its operative position, the clothcsline, indicated'at- 30' in Fig. 5; is held with the fabric article 32' placed thereon in the customary manner immediately" under the lower anglefor-med at the peripheral overlap of the inner roller 26 and the outer rollers 24 and 28; A slight force is applied at the top of the major'coil I0 and due. to the resilient nature of the wire of which the clothespin 8 is constructed, the arms 18, Zil and 22 flex slightly allowingthe roller carrying coils 12, 14 and 16 to move apart and the line 30 to be moved upward therebetween. The retractile action ofthe arms 18, 20 and 22 will tend, once the line 30 has been moved upward past the maj or'diameter of the rollers 24, '26 and 28, to urge the line 30 further in anupward direction until its upper surface abuts the arms 18, 20 and 22 in the angle formed therebetween below their cross-over point. This results in a snap action whereby the user is advised thatthe clothespin 8 is securely engaged in its operative position thereby eliminating the necessity of gauging precisely the applied force in order to assure positive fastening of the fabric article without the attendant deformation or tearing of the same.

When thus disposed in its operative position, the clothespin 8 by reason of the retractile action of the arms 18,

20 and 22 exerts positive retaining forces at a plurality of points of" application. The fabric is firmly pressed down upon the'upper portion of the line 30 at three triangularlyspaced points by the arms 18, 20' and 22. In addition, the fabric is pressed upwardly in contact with the under portion'of the line 30 also at three tn'angularly spaced points by the three rollers 24, 26 and 28. Be-

tion may be useful for a variety of other purposes. It is,

for example, envisioned as having utility in production line techniques where small objects such as vacuum tubes are required to be held securely. Accordingly, the word clothespin is not to be takengcither in the description or in the claims as a word of limitation.

The invention claimed i'si '1. A clothespin comprising a length of resilient wire having a central portion which is bent into a double wire arm, the free end of which is formed to provide a first coil of relatively small diameter and the other end of the double wire arm extending generally tangentially into a.

second coil of relatively larger diameter having: a phi. rality of convolutions which are formed between said arm and the respective end portions of the. wire, and each end portion of the wire comprising anv arm extending generally tangentially from the said second. coil and which crosses the double wire arm when viewed from an. end of the said coils, each arm formedby an end portion of the. wire being provided with a relatively small diametercoil at its free end, said first coil and said coils on the free ends of the arms on the end portions of wire all being generallytangential to theinner faces of their respective arms and said first coil being disposed partially between and in peripheral overlapping relation with each of said coils on the free ends of said arms with said clothespin. in a free state whereby to cooperatively provide securing,

means.

2. A clothespin comprising a length of resilient wire having a central portion which is bentinto a double wire arm, the free end of which is formed to provide a first cause of this triangularly spaced application of retaining forces, both above and below' the clothes'line 30, the resistance to twisting action exhibited by the clothespin 8 of this invention is of extremely high order.

A final retaining action is provided by the peripheral overlap of the roller 26 withthe rollers24 and 28. The fabric maybe expected to form itself about the central roller 26 and be forced into binding contact with the inner surfaces of the outer rollers 24 and 28'. Operation of the clothespin having" the basic configuration of the Figs. 1, 2- and is similar in all respects to that described above.

While the last interlocking retaining action may not be expected to be operative in all cases, especially where lines of' varying diameters and fabrics of varying thicknesses are encountered, it is felt that by judicious selectionof the diameters of' the several coils; the large majority of line and fabric combinations may be benecoil of relatively small diameter and the other end of the double wire arm extending generally tangentially into a second coil of relatively larger diameter havinga plurality of convolutions which are formed between said arm and the respective end portions of the wire; and each-end portion of the wire comprising an arm extending generally tangentially from the said second coil and which crosses the double wire arm when viewed from an-end of the said coils, each arm formed by an end portionjof the wire being provided with. a relatively small diameter coil at its free end, said firstcoil and said coils'lron the free ends of the arms on the end portions of wire-all; being generally tangential to the inner faces of their respective arms and said first coil being disposed partially between and in peripheral overlapping relation with each of said coils on the free ends of said arms with said clothespin in a free state whereby to cooperatively" provide securing means, and three small rollers retained respectively in said first coil and the coils on the free ends of said arms so as to provide additional bearingsurface for a fabric article held by the clothespin.

References Cited in the file of 'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,724 Matthews Aug. 28, 1900' 711,513 McMillan Oct. 21, 1902 960,847 Devore June 7, 1910 1,478,530 Rooney Dec. 25., 1923' 1,784,252 Scarr Dec. 9, 1930 

